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South Africa: The family of 7 year old Philasande Shange contacted Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) this morning (Sunday, 22/01/2023) at approximately 08:01, requesting assistance to locate his missing body parts.
The boy was reported missing on Thursday, January 5, 2023, after he failed to return from a tuck shop near his home in Ntshawini in KwaDukuza (Stanger). His family and Police recovered his head and a leg near a stream after receiving an SMS on Sunday, January 10, 2023, directing them to the remains. The cellphone number that the sms was sent from was confirmed to be untraceable.
The family have since received further messages from the same number informing them that the remaining body parts were sold in Mozambique. The person behind the messages also advised them to leave the area, or the killings will continue. The messages are believed to be sent by the person responsible for the child’s decapitation and dismemberment.
Out of desperation, the Shange family consulted with two Traditional Healers who advised that his remains be buried in an area near their home. The community and Police with specialised dogs searched the area but were unable to locate the remaining body parts.
The RUSA R44 Helicopter will lift off tomorrow (Monday) morning to assist in search of a vast area where the body is believed to be concealed. The Pilot & Crew will meet with the family for a briefing and search areas that are inaccessible to Rescue Vehicles.
On the same day, Reaction Unit South Africa reported one more case in which a white VW Polo was gutted in a fire on Oaklands Drive in Oaklands – KZN earlier this morning (Sunday).
Members of Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) were called out to the property at approximately 00:41. On arrival, and Reaction Officers discovered the vehicle completely engulfed in flames. Fire Fighters extinguished the blaze, but the vehicle was completely destroyed.
Circumstances leading up to the fire were not established.